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What should I know about preventing fraud?

Steuben Trust Company values its customers' online security and privacy. In cooperation with the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, we provide the following tips to help you protect your personal information online.

Steuben Trust recommends that our customers utilize Anti-Malware software or alternative risk control mechanisms to help protect themselves online. More information is available at the valuable websites listed towards the bottom of this page.

Steuben Trust recommends that our business customers conduct their own risk assessments periodically. These vary by industry, but generally include a documented study of risks and threats posed to your business, including general procedures and computer information systems.

Steuben Trust may contact consumers by phone to respond to requests or to conduct other business. If we call you, we will not request sensitive information we already have on file, including:

Passwords of any kind

Social security numbers

Account numbers

Any requests for sensitive information should be considered fraudulent and be disregarded or rejected. Simply state that you feel it is a fraudulent request and immediately hang up.

Regulation E establishes the basic rights, liabilities, and responsibilities of consumers who use electronic fund transfer services and of financial institutions that offer these services. The following lists some, but not all, of the protections offered by Regulation E. The full regulation with complete details is available on the FDIC.gov website.

The consumer's liability for unauthorized electronic fund transfers is determined by the timeliness of notice given by the consumer to the Financial Institution.

Certain defined changes in terms or conditions must be disclosed in a written notice to consumers at least 21 days before the effective date.

The Financial Institution must provide certain notices in regards to the status of preauthorized transfers.

The consumer has certain rights to stop payment of preauthorized electronic fund transfers before the scheduled date of the transfer.

No financial institution or other person may require a consumer to establish an account for receipt of electronic fund transfers with a particular institution as a condition of employment or receipt of a government benefit.

Government agencies which issue an access device for consumers to initiate an electronic fund transfer of government benefits are considered as Financial Institutions under Regulation E's requirements.

Certain overdraft service requirements are specified, including limits on fees charged, and the consumer's opt-in right.

Regulation E does not provide protection against all forms of fraud. For example:

No protection is specified if a consumer provides account access to someone else to make a $50 ATM withdrawal and they take $100.

Terms:

Phishing

Phishing ("fishing") is when an attacker attempts to fool a consumer by falsely appearing as a bank, credit card company, or a major online merchant, such as Amazon or Paypal. The attacker may suggest there a problem with the person's account and ask for personal account information to "confirm" their account.

Pharming

Pharming is a scamming practice in which malicious code is installed on a personal computer or server, misdirecting users to fraudulent Web sites without their knowledge or consent.

Virus

A virus is simply a computer program which does harm. It must be installed by the user, but frequently tricks them as attachments to an e-mail or in a downloaded file.

Worm

A worm is similar to a virus except that it installs and duplicates itself across unpatched systems. Keeping your computer patched with the latest software updates helps prevent this.

Spoofing

E-mail spoofing is the forgery of an e-mail "From" address, so that it appears to be from a known or trusted source. Spam often uses spoofing in an attempt to get recipients to open, and possibly even respond to, their solicitations.

Spyware

Spyware is any technology that aids in gathering information about a person or organization without their knowledge.